Robert Yellin on sun 24 aug 97
Always a pleasure as a non-potter to be part of this list.
I live with and use pots as part of my daily life- the art
that you all pursue is so esstential to this K-Mart world
that we live in. The wheel keeps turning, more wobble to
you all(helps one discover)and we have to find how the
flow of traditions affect us all- creator and user alike.
I have in front of me a catalog from a Shimaoka Show which
was part of his 50th year as a potter celebration,1995. The recent
postings about tea cups prompted me to locate it amongst
my catalog library and send out to all of you what a Shimaoka
cup goes for these days- depending on the style and the gallery-
Seibu Department Store,Tokyo
Yohen teacup-240,000yen($1 is approx.115 yen these days)
Haiyu Teacup-140,000yen
Salt glazed cup- 140,000yen
Shinsha tea cup-60,000yen
Zogan Aka-e cup- "
Zogan Cup- 50,000yen
Just thought it would round out the tea cup conversation.
About eel- it is a summer delicacy here in Japan and is
said to be a cure for summer fatigue. I took Tsuji Seimei
and Kyo to a wonderful eel restaurant in Mishima last November
and we all enjoyed the meal immensely. I only pity the
foreign traveller who expects Hilton meals and can never
reach outside the norm of their reality. In cuisine or art
or life, is it not what we find outside the secure circle
of our fenced in minds that leads us on to new discoveries?
I would say to those who would not like to,at least once,
try fresh wiggling carp, or eel, or things with eyes staring back-
don't come to Japan. Shop at you local market where the slaughter
house is conveniently hidden from view and everything is packaged
to hide reality. Look at your plate wherever you are and if your're
in a foreign country don't be so quick to judge, and if your're at
home understand the networking of cows and pigs.
Anyway, tea cups and eels- if anyone is ever in my neck of the
bamboo woods- I'd love to take you to a great eel restaurant-
on the house!
Sippin sake in Numazu-
Robert Yellin
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